


One Wing Down

by hlravensnest_archivist



Category: Highlander: The Raven
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2001-12-31
Updated: 2001-12-31
Packaged: 2018-12-16 22:15:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11838084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hlravensnest_archivist/pseuds/hlravensnest_archivist
Summary: Note from Daire, the archivist: this story was originally archived atHL Raven's Nest. Deciding to give the stories a more long-term home, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address onHL Raven's Nest's collection profile.





	One Wing Down

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Daire, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [HL Raven's Nest](http://fanlore.org/wiki/HL_Raven%27s_Nest). Deciding to give the stories a more long-term home, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [HL Raven's Nest's collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hlravensnest/profile).

One Wing Down by RSS

_One Wing Down_

By RSS 

  


**OUTSIDE PALERMO, SICILY**

Amanda, Nick, and Bert are outside a palatial estate, all wearing night vision goggles. An electrical fence surrounds the estate and guard dogs patrol the grounds. Amanda turns on the radio control of a miniature car that has some fresh meat on it. Inside the car there is an open bottle of the cheapest perfume she could find. She drives the car into position on the opposite side of the estate. When she sees the dogs move to the other side of the estate Amanda has the car drive in a circle. 

She signals Nick and Bert to carry a bamboo superstructure to the outside fence. They scramble up the fence and position the superstructure so it forms a bridge over the electrified middle fence. The trio crosses over the fence and onto the estate's grounds. When they are halfway between the fence and the main building Amanda senses another Immortal. 

Amanda and Nick look at each other. Amanda whispers, "Something's wrong! We have to get out of here!" Bert stands perplexed for a few seconds. Then flood lights illuminate the grounds and an alarm sounds. The trio runs back to the fence and shots ring out as they climb over the fence. They run into the woods and jump into Nick's Sports Utility Vehicle. As they drive away Amanda remarks, "My Spidey senses never fail." 

"What went wrong?" 

"I don't know Bert. I saw some movement inside the house. Maybe we tripped something." 

On the drive back to the hotel Amanda thinks about the case. Amanda liked the job; it was a good challenge. It was also worthwhile from a moral standpoint. Clive Ostwaldt, an American actor who got his start starring in Spaghetti Westerns, wanted to get the goods on Vasco Visconti. Visconti is one of the biggest drug traffickers on the continent. Ostwaldt decided to close down Visconti and his whole operation after Ostwaldt's daughter recently died of a drug overdose. Willing to spend his entire fortune to get him, he figured the way to do it was to get into Visconti's files. Armed with the records he could make a few anonymous phone calls and wreak havoc on Visconti's "business". 

* * *

Amanda and Nick are in a hotel room. Amanda looks at a picture of Vasco Visconti. 

"No, never saw him before." 

"Are you sure?" 

"I'm sure. I never forget a face, especially an Immortal one." 

"There's this restaurant he goes to about once a week. I can stake that place out." 

" _We_ can stake that place out. One of his bodyguards might be the Immortal." 

"Okay, we will stake the place out. I'll tell Bert you're still working on a plan for our next attempt." 

* * *

Amanda and Nick wait inside their rented car. This is their second dinnertime stakeout. When a white limousine pulls up to the restaurant's front door, Amanda and Nick sense an Immortal inside. Visconti and five others exit the vehicle. Four are men, obviously bodyguards; the other is a woman. The woman is the Immortal. She has long black hair, a mink coat, and black pumps. Glancing around, she makes brief eye contact with Amanda. Amanda recognizes her, Monique Sardier. 

* * *

**NORTHERN FRANCE, 1792**

Amanda rides on her nag of a horse wearing peasant's clothes. Amanda doesn't want to appear as anything more than a rustic. She doesn't want to risk another embrace with Madame Guillotine. She sees a mob surrounding a few aristocrats walking along a riverbank. Sensing there's an Immortal in the group, Amanda keeps her distance as she tries to identify the other Immortal. It's an aristocratic woman, and isn't anyone she knows. Amanda follows the crowd as she wrestles with the idea of trying to rescue the woman. 

The Immortal woman drops to one knee and cries out in pain. Knowing it has to be a ruse, Amanda decides to assist the woman. A man from the mob grabs the woman and she pushes him to the ground as she takes his pistol. As she points the pistol at a member of the mob, two people from the mob shoot the woman. The woman fires her pistol, but the shot goes into the dirt. She staggers a few steps then falls into the river. Seconds later the river carries the woman's body past Amanda. The mob hurriedly pushes their other prisoners along. Amanda follows the body as it floats downstream until a fallen tree catches it, then climbs on the tree and drags the body to the riverbank. 

Amanda waits until the body comes back to life. The woman immediately starts coughing up water. Eventually she catches enough breath to speak. 

"I must have swallowed half the river." 

"I think there's still plenty left." 

"The world has gone mad." 

"I'm Amanda." 

"I'm Monique. Get close to nobility, but stay out of their intrigues. That way you get the protection without the danger. That's the rule I've lived by for over 200 years." 

"It seems that rule no longer applies." 

"At least not here." 

"Yes, it's best if we get out of the country. I was on my way to the coast to book passage to England." 

"May I join you?" 

Amanda nods approval. Monique smiles and remarks, "It won't end with the nobility. They will eventually turn on each other. Without nobility there's anarchy." 

* * *

**PRESENT TIME**

Amanda and Nick sit across the room from Visconti and his party. Two of his bodyguards sit at the bar. Monique looks at Amanda then at the entrance to the rest rooms. Understanding, Amanda goes into the rest room, followed by Monique a minute later. 

"That was him the other night?" Monique starts. 

"And me." 

"Why are you with him?" 

"I was meaning to ask you the same question." 

"Gangsters are the modern nobility. They have riches and security. Amanda, if he's holding you captive here's your chance to get away. I can tell Vasco you're my friend. It'll be impossible for him to get to you." 

"He's not holding me captive. We're partners. We want to get information on Visconti's organization. We want to bring him down. That's why we tried to break into his villa. We can use your help." 

"What, and give this up?" 

"He's one of the biggest drug traffickers on the continent. He's destroyed thousands of lives!" 

"If you bring him down there are a dozen more who would gladly jump in his place. It wouldn't make a difference to anyone, except me. I'd have no protection!" 

"I can teach you how to fight." 

"Fighting to the death in back alleys, no thanks. Tell your partner to go someplace else to be a hero." 

"He's not going to give up. Monique, you interfering will make you an accessory. You'll be helping someone who sells death." 

Monique abruptly turns and leaves. 

A short time later Amanda and Nick leave the restaurant. Nick waits a few minutes then he asks, "She's his bodyguard?" 

"No, he's her bodyguard only he doesn't know it." 

"How's that?" 

"Monique figures her best way to keep alive is to be close to people who have a lot of protection." 

"So another Immortal can't get to her because they will have to deal with a bunch of armed mortals?" 

"Exactly. So we can't get to the house while she's around." 

"Visconti doesn't like to travel much. He likes to stay close to his empire. It could be months." 

"Maybe there's a way to get inside the house." 

* * *

Amanda and Nick sit in their rented car until Visconti and his entourage arrive at the restaurant. This is their second stakeout on Visconti and Monique; waiting to execute their plan to get inside Visconti's estate. Amanda glances at her broadsword nestled between the two seats. 

"You take good care of it. It's my favorite sword." 

"You sure about this?" 

"Don't worry. It'll be a piece of cake." 

Amanda waits a few minutes at her table, trying to make eye contact with Monique. After a couple of minutes their eyes meet. Amanda discretely signals she wants to meet in the bathroom. Amanda walks into the bathroom and waits for Monique. 

"Amanda, if you are trying to make me change my mind you're wasting your time." 

"No, you've changed my mind. Nick Wolfe, the man I'm with, the partnership is all one sided. He uses my skills and my talents. I know it's only a matter of time before he'll want my Quickening." 

Amanda starts shivering. 

"Amanda, Amanda, don't worry." 

Monique grabs Amanda's hands and squeezes gently. 

"I'm glad you told me. Just stay with me, let me do all the talking, and everything will be all right." 

Amanda nods her head, "Thank you." 

"Sorry to bring this up but—" Monique waves her index finger in the air then points to a wall. "Assume the position." 

Amanda puts her hands on the wall and spreads her feet apart. Monique runs her fingers along Amanda's back. 

"Okay, sorry about that, but a girl can't be too careful." 

"I understand Monique." 

Monique takes Amanda by the hand and leads her out the door and leads her to Visconti's table. She has Amanda sit in an empty seat. 

"Amanda's an old friend of mine." 

"Happy to meet you Amanda." 

"Happy to meet you Mr.—" 

"Visconti, but call me Vasco." 

"Happy to meet you Vasco." 

"Amanda's in a bad relationship. She's afraid to leave the man she's with." 

"I understand. Don't worry Amanda." 

Amanda finds Vasco's voice charming. Nick gets up and walks over to Amanda. 

"Come on back to our table." Nick's voice is rough. Amanda's impressed by his act so far. 

"The lady is staying with us." 

"I don't think so." 

The two bodyguards at the table slowly stand. The two at the bar scan the room. 

"I do." 

The two bodyguards at the table approach Nick from opposite directions. The two at the bar stand and put their right hands inside their jackets. Monique takes Amanda's hand. 

"Tell him you want to stay." 

Amanda meekly says, "I'd like to stay." 

"There, the lady has made her choice. Leave now, it'll save you a fortune on hospital bills. As an extra bonus I'll pay for your meal." 

Nick eyes the four bodyguards then abruptly walks out of the restaurant. Amanda thinks to herself, _An Academy Award performance._

"Thank you! All of you." 

"It was nothing. A man likes to rescue a damsel in distress from time to time." 

"Can Amanda stay with us for a while." 

"But of course!" 

* * *

It's the middle of the night when Amanda enters Visconti's study. She turns on his computer and starts checking his files, surprised to find nothing is password protected. Visconti wasn't expecting an inside job. Nick will be watching the villa tomorrow from a discreet distance. Amanda opens one of the files she thinks is a likely suspect. While Amanda waits for the spreadsheet to open, the room's lights suddenly come on. She looks up to see Monique standing at the door with a gun in her hand. 

"This is how you pay me back?" 

Her voice is a fast whisper. 

"Monique, every day Visconti is in business more people die. Many of them are just children. I can help you." 

Monique's face reveals her internal conflict. 

"Monique, there's more to life than survival. I want to live too. You are a better person than this." 

Monique draws a deep breath. She lowers her gun. "Make it quick." 

Amanda starts loading files to her floppy disk. A few minutes later she remarks, "Done!" She looks at Monique. Monique shifts her eyes to a safe. 

"I'll need some money to start a new life. Can you get that safe open?" 

"Piece of cake." 

Amanda works the combination lock; the 1935 vintage safe is no match for Amanda's skill. A few seconds later she pushes on the handle and opens the safe. Amanda's smile broadens when she sees that the safe is loaded with cash. A shot rings out a moment before Amanda feels a sharp pain in her back. She turns around and sees Monique with the smoking gun in her hand. Then Monique fires another round. The bullet strikes Amanda in the chest. Seconds later everything goes black. 

* * *

When Amanda comes back to life she finds herself in a plastic bag; and it feels like she's moving. She senses another Immortal nearby, and seconds later the vehicle stops and hears a trunk release. Then a cheerful, "Rise and shine!" Amanda claws her way out of the bag. She sees Monique pick up a shovel. 

"What did you shoot me for?" 

"I figured it would be the easiest way to get you out of the villa without arousing suspicion." 

"You could have told me darling." 

"But darling, that would have ruined the spontaneity." Monique holds up a disk. "Maybe I should hold onto this until after you bury the bag. They'll expect it to show some use." 

Monique hands her the shovel. 

"Why don't you bury it?" Amanda protests. "They'll expect you to show some use too, darling." 

"Well all right. I hope you appreciate this, darling." 

"Maybe I'll do the same for you someday." 

Monique starts digging. It's obvious she's not use to physical labor. 

"Why aren't Visconti's goons doing this dirty work?" 

"I told him I didn't want anyone to know where I dumped the body. After all – no body, no crime." 

* * *

It's been three weeks since Amanda got hold of the information from Visconti's computer. As a result, Interpol has made over 3,000 arrests and Visconti has disappeared, as has Monique. Amanda figures it's only a matter of time before the police uncover the rock Visconti is hiding under; and if Monique will be under the same rock. Officially, Interpol wants Monique for questioning as a material witness. 

Amanda is having dinner with Nick. He's been jubilant about the arrests. 

"They've shut down 101 drug factories, confiscated over twenty-two tons of drugs with a street value of over a billion dollars! I feel pretty good!" 

"Not bad for a few minutes of acting." 

They laugh as they cling their champagne glasses together and the phone rings. Amanda decides to let her answering machine take care of it. After the beep Monique, in a low but frantic voice, starts leaving a message. 

"Amanda! It's a matter of life and death! I need to speak to you! Oh God! I'll—" 

"Monique?" 

"Amanda thank God! Vasco is holding – are you alone?" 

Amanda looks at Nick and puts her index finger to her lips. "Yes, I'm alone." 

"Vasco is holding a Bert Myers, you know him?" 

"Yes, where?" 

"In an abandoned warehouse by the old fish market. You know the place?" 

"Yes, have you called the police?" 

"No, I wasn't sure what Bert knows." 

"He doesn't know anything about us, I'd like to keep it that way, unless his life depends on it." 

"I understand, Vasco made the connection between Bert and his crumbling empire – " 

"We can talk about that later. I have some arrangements to make." 

"I'll try to keep him in one piece. Amanda, I don't want to talk to the police." 

"I understand." Amanda hangs up. She looks at a puzzled Nick. "They have Bert!" 

* * *

Amanda drives to the old fish market while Nick is rounding up a couple of people from the agency. Sensing another Immortal, she pulls over to the curb. She steps out of her car with her gear and scans the area with her night vision goggles. She can make out some people in a two-story warehouse and more movement on the top floor. A few seconds later a figure in the window shines a flashlight on its face. Amanda can't make out the figure but knows it has to be Monique. Amanda puts a radio to her face. 

"Nick." 

"Yeah." 

"I've found the place." 

"Good, we'll be there in about ten minutes." 

"I'm going to take a closer look." 

"Be careful." 

Amanda loads a grappling hook into a crossbow and fires it onto the warehouse roof. After tugging on the rope to make sure it's secure, she climbs the rope to the second floor. She peers inside and sees Bert tied to a chair and Monique looking back at her. Monique smiles and signals for her to come in, but Amanda signals to wait. Bert has his back to the window so he can't see them exchange signals. 

"Nick, where are you?" 

"Five minutes!" 

Amanda extends her five fingers. Monique mouths the word "Hurry". Then she walks over to Bert. Then she says something to Bert and kisses him. Seconds later she rubs her gun on Bert's face. She never points the barrel directly at Bert. Monique continues talking as she approaches the window. Amanda senses another Immortal. 

"Nick?" 

"We're here. Where are you?" 

"I'm outside the second floor. I can see Bert. Let me know when you're in position." Amanda holds up her index finger to Monique. 

"We're in position." 

"I'm going in!" 

Amanda nods her head. She springs herself away from the wall then crashes through the window. Monique points her gun at the ceiling and fires a round. Monique and Amanda grab hands and shuffle back and fourth. Monique flashes her eyes at an unbroken window. Amanda nods her head. Monique puts the gun in her abdomen and fires two rounds. Amanda throws her through the window. 

"Bert, it's me!" 

"Amanda!" 

Amanda runs over to Bert and starts untying him. She hears a couple of gunshots and some scuffling downstairs. A man bursts through the door and his points gun at Bert. Nick butt strokes the man from behind. 

"You all right?" 

"I'm alive if that's what you mean." 

Nick smiles. Amanda finishes untying Bert, then gets a good look at his face full of cuts and bruises. Bert looks behind him. 

"Are you all right Amanda?" 

"Yeah, I'm fine." 

"How did you guys find me anyway?" 

"Let's just say your guardian angel told us." 

"Amanda, one of these days you're going to give me a straight answer." 

Amanda can hear the sirens of emergency vehicles. A couple of men help Bert out the door. Nick says, "We'll be along in a minute." 

Nick and Amanda walk to the window. They look down at Monique's body, her long hair covers her face and much of her body. 

"A little melodramatic isn't it?" 

"She wanted to make sure she would make it to the morgue dead." 

"So the night's still young for us." 

"That's right, some midnight body snatching, darling." 

* * *

**EPILOGUE**

Amanda and Nick are talking inside The Sanctuary. From the balcony Amanda watches the customers below. Business is brisk and everything is right with the world. As a crowd of people walk in, Amanda senses another Immortal. The head of the crowd is a rock star who is popular with everyone under 20. He's not an Immortal, in any sense of the word. Amanda spots the Immortal, a hooded woman in the rock star's entourage. 

The woman looks directly at Amanda. It's Monique. She takes off her hood and reveals her shaved head. Amanda remembers the old saying, "The more things change, the more they remain the same." 

**THE END**

* * *

© 2001   
Please send comments to the author! 

* * *


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